Racial insensitivity is wrong. But the students aren't the only ones at fault.

Just last spring, some of my fellow students at Langley were publicly exposed for the usage of racial slurs online. The situation quickly gained traction on social media, and Langley (rightfully so) was shamed in front of thousands for seemingly being a  racially insensitive school.

These students' words openly demeaned people of color, and disrespected minorities within the community. However, as someone who shares classes with the accused teens, sees them in the hallways, and interacts with them on a daily basis, I do not believe this was their intent. At our age, teenagers who use slurs aren't bad people and don't mean to cause harm-they simply don't understand the hurtful ramifications of their words. The usage of slurs in school is perpetuated by ignorance, and the only way to stop the issue is by educating teens on racial tolerance as a whole.

Personally, I believe that FCPS needs to implement programs into the curriculum that cover sensitive topics such as racial equality, as only then can we create a fully inclusive and unified learning environment.

The topics expressed in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the complete views and opinions of Abrar Omeish.

My name is Ethan Bhatia, and I am a sophomore at Langley High school.